Plastic nesting and stacking case

ABSTRACT

A plastic nesting and stacking case in the form of an opentopped integrally molded rectangular unit having a pair of first opposed side walls, a pair of second opposed side walls and a bottom wall, comprises an upper part with its walls normal to said bottom wall, an intermediate part slightly tapering inwardly and having a height equal to a substantial fraction of the height of said upper part, and a lower part having a height equal to said upper part and tapering slightly inwardly towards the bottom wall of the case. The upper edge of the lower part has an outwardly projecting flange, whereby to enable partial nesting of a first case in a second similar case by the flange of the former resting upon the top edge of the latter. A pair of retractible supporting frames rotatively mounted upon the top of the cases serve to enable stacking of a number of cases with the bottom wall of one case resting upon the supporting frames of the case below in the stack.

May 2, 1972 United States Patent Box Primary Examiner-George E. LowranceAttorney-Kenyon and Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin [54] PLASTIC NESTING ANDSTACKING CASE [72] Inventor:

ABSTRACT Theodor Box, ll08 Ailene Road, Brielle, NJ. 08730 4 Claims, 7Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /A/Vg/Vroe TML-OQOQ Y Patented May 2, 1972 3 Shoe ts-Shni 2,

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Patented May 2, 1972 3 Shoots-Shut :5

PLASTIC NESTING AND STACKING CASE The present invention relates tointegrally molded plastic carrying cases or tote boxes as used for thestorage and trans port of bottles, cartons or the like containers ofbeverages and other packaged products or articles. The invention is moreparticularly concerned with carrying cases of this type capable ofnesting within each other, to save storage and/or shipping space in theunloaded condition of the cases, as well as of being stacked in theloaded condition for the shipment and distribution of the products orarticles stored in the cases.

It has already been proposed to construct plastic carrying cases of thereferred to type, whereby nesting of a first case in a similar case isenabled by tapering or inclinng the vertical or side walls of the casesinwardly from top to bottom sufficiently to enable telescoping a firstor upper case into the open end of a second or lower case in a stack ofempty or unloaded cases.

The known nesting cases have the disadvantage, among others, of beingliable to jam or lock in the nested position, especially in the case ofrelatively large stacks containing greater numbers of cases, whereby toimpede or prevent a ready and instant removal or separation of the casesof a stack, prior to the storing of the articles or products to bedistributed. In extreme cases, the large-surface friction between theadjoining tapering walls in the stack of nested cases may result infreezing" of adjacent units in a stack, multiplying thereby thedifficulties mentioned. The latter can be reduced only to some extent bythe fabrication of the cases to relatively close manufacturingtolerances, a requirement incompatible with costs and the purpose andnature of the devices, as well as of the plastic material, involved.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is theprovision of an improved open-topped plastic carrying case of thereferred to type which can be nested within a similar case, to produce astack of substantially reduced bulk or mounting space, substantiallywithout the previous and related diiculties encountered in connectionwith nesting cases constructed in accordance with the prior art.

Aside from the desirability of nesting a number of unloaded or emptycases, to reduce storage and/or shipping space, it is generally requiredto stack greater numbers of cases in the loaded condition in connectionwith transport and distribution operations of the goods, products orother articles to be distributed.

Another object of the invention is therefore the provision of a nestingplastic carrying case of the referred to type with retractablesupporting means overlying or bridging the open top of the case in theoperative or use position, to enable stacking of a number of cases inthe loaded condition, substantially without interference with thenesting of the cases in the unloaded condition and the retractedposition of said supporting means.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects as well asnovel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the followingdetailed description of a preferred practical embodiment, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of thisdisclosure and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a nesting and stacking case constructedin accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation showing a number of cases according to FIG. 1 inthe loaded and stacked position;

FIG. 3 is an elevation similar to FIG. 2, showing the cases in theunloaded and nested position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through a pair of adjoiningcases of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through a pair of adjoiningcases of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively fragmentary perspective and plan viewsillustrating and improved feature according to the invention.

Like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the different viewsof the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the present invention involvesgenerally the provision of an improved molded plastic carrying case ofthe referred to type which may be partially nested with and disassembledfrom a similar case in a stack, substantially, without the difficultiesmentioned, while keeping with prevailing manufacturing tolerances in thefabrication of devices of this type. For this purpose, the side walls ofan integrally molded open-topped rectangular unit comprise essentiallyan upper part having walls substantially normal to the bottom wall ofthe case, an intermediate part having a height equal to a substantialfraction of the height of said upper part and being inclined inwardly bya slight tapering angle, and a lower part having a height substantiallyequal to the height of said upper part and slightly tapering inwardlytowards said bottom wall.

The foregoing construction makes it possible to readily nest anddisengage greater numbers of cases without difficulty, while at the sametime enabling the retention of customary manufacturing tolerances, in amanner as will become more apparent as the description proceeds. On theother hand, stacking of a number of loaded cases is enabled by theprovision of pairs of retractible supporting rods or frames bridging theopen tops of the cases in the operative or use position, to enablestacking with the bottom wall of one case resting upon the supportingrods or frames of the case below in the stack, said rods or frames beingrotatable to a retracted position exterior of the space enclosed by thewalls of the case, to allow of nesting of a number of empty or unloadedcases in the manner described. The supporting frames or rods arefurthermore advantageously designed to act as coupling means in theretracted position, to form a continuous chain of cases for transportupon a wheel-type or the like conveyer, in a manner as will become moreapparent as the description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to the latter, the same show a plasticcarrying case l0, FIG. 1, essentially having the form of an integrallymolded rectangular unit having pairs of opposite side walls composed ofthree parts, viz. an upper part 11 having side walls being normal to thebottom wall 19 of the case, FIGS. 4 and 5, an intermediate part 14having a height i, FIG, 4, equal to a substantial fraction, practicallyfrom 10-15 percent, of the height h of the upper part 11 and beinginclined inwardly with a slight tapering angle, practically of from l0l5and a lower part 12 having a height h substantially equal to the heightof the upper part 1l and being inclined inwardly with a tapering angleof from lOl 5 towards the bottom wall 19. The top edge of the case isadvantageously provided with an upper outwardly projecting reinforcingflange or rim 13, while a similar intermediate flange 15 is providedprojecting outwardly from the top edge of the lower part 12 of the case.

Carrying cases constructed in the foregoing manner may be readilystacked and nested with the intermediate flange l5' of a first case 10'resting upon the upper flange 13 of a lower case l0 of the stack, in themanner shown respectively in section and elevation by FIGS. 3 and 5,wherein corresponding parts of the cases are denoted respectively bylike single and double primed reference numerals. With specificreference to FIG.5, it can be seen that, provided a proper design of theheight and tapering angle of the intermediate part 14, as well as of thetapering angle of part 12, adequate clearance is ensured between thecases to take care of prevailing manufacturing tolerances, whereby toenable ready and easy assembly and disassembly of a nested stack, on theone hand, and to prevent jamming or locking of the cases, due to theabsence of large friction surfaces, on the other hand.

While the intermediate flange l5, FlG.1 is shown to extend along theentire periphery of the case, an interrupted flange restricted to a pairof opposite sides or to short sections adjoining the comers of` the casemay be provided, to reduce weight and costs.

In order to enable stacking of a number of loaded cases describedhereinbefore and shown by FIGS. 2 and 4, the upper edges of the rst pairof side walls are provided, at points close to the second pair of sidewalls of the case, with pairs of opposed slots 18 and 20, FlG.l, saidslots being adapted to receive respectively the intermediate portions ofa pair of U- shaped supporting metal rods or frames 16 and 17 having legportions 16b and 17b extending along the outer surfaces of said firstside walls and terminating in inwardly bent ends 16C and 17c engagingbores in said walls, in such a manner that the rods 16 and 17 may beswung from the operative position, bridging the open space of the case,in the direction of the arrows b to retracted positions 16' and 17',respectively, exterior of said space and adjoining the outer verticalsurface of the second pair of` side walls, as indicated in dot-dashlines in FlG.1. It is possible in this manner to stack greater numbersof loaded cases with the bottom wall 19' of a first case 10' restingupon the supporting rods 16 and 17 of a similar case 10 below in thestack, as indicated by the arrow a in FIGLI and more clearly shown inFlGS.2 and 4 of the drawings.

According to an improved feature of the invention, the supporting rods16 and 17 are provided with central bow-shaped portions 16a and 17aadapted to engage, in the retracted position of the rods, pairs ofspaced slots 21 and 22 respectively in the upper edges of the secondpair of side walls of a similar juxtaposed case, whereby to enable aseries of cases to be coupled in the manner shown by FlG.6 (singlecoupling) and FlG.7 (double coupling) for the transport of a string ofcases upon a wheel-type of the like conveyor band.

Case in FIG.1 is shown provided with a pair of hand holes 23 disposed inopposite walls of part 11, to facilitate handling.

ln the foregoing, the invention has been described in reference to aspecific exemplary device or embodiment. lt will be evident however,that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution ofequivalent parts to those shown herein for illustration, may be madewithout departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A plastic nesting and stacking case comprising in combination:

l. an integrally molded open-topped unit having a pair of first opposedside walls, a pair of second opposed side walls and a bottom wall, saidside and end walls composed of a. upper walls substantially normal tosaid bottom wall,

b. a small intermediate portion joined at one end to said upper wallhaving a height equal to a substantial fraction of the height of saidupper part and inclined inwardly from said upper wall at a slighttapering angle, and

c. lower walls joined to the other end of said intermediate portionhaving a height substantially equal to the height of said upper wallsand tapering slightly inwardly and joined to said bottom wall,

2. a first supporting flange mounted to and projecting outwardly fromthe upper end of said upper walls,

3, a second supporting flange mounted to and projecting outwardly fromthe lower end of said intermediate portion and the upper edge of saidlower wall, and

4. retractable rotating supporting means mounted to said upper wallscomprising a. a pair of supporting rods each having a central portionsupported, in the operative position of the rods, by opposed slots inthe top edges of said first pair of said side walls, with the legportions of said rods hingedly mounted to the outer surfaces of saidwalls, to allow rotation of said rods from said supporting operativeposition bridging the open space of said unit to an inoperative positionexterior of said space in juxtaposition to the outer surfaces of saidsecond pair of side walls,

5. whereby a first case when stacked upon a second similar case havingits supporting rods in the operative position has its bottom wallresting upon the supporting rods of said second case, and when saidsupporting rods of said second case are rotated to said retractedposition, said first case is partially nested in said second case withits second flange resting upon and supported by the first flange of saidsecond case.

2, A plastic case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said U- shapedsupporting rods engage the adjoining first side walls of said unit.

3. A plastic case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said U- shapedsupporting rods engage bores in the adjoining first side walls of saidunit, and the central portions of said rods are formed with U-shapedextensions, the upper edges of said second side walls of said unit havepairs of additional slots in the upper surface of said case, adapted topermit said central portions of said rods to overlap similar rods andengage in similar slots of a second case when said cases are juxtaposedalongside each other to join said cases together` 4. A plastic case asclaimed in claim l, wherein said intermediate part has a height of from10-15 percent of the height of said upper part and said intermediate andlower part have tapering angles of from 10-l5.

$ l* il III

1. A plastic nesting and stacking case comprising in combination:
 1. anintegrally molded open-topped unit having a pair of first opposed sidewalls, a pair of second opposed side walls and a bottom wall, said sideand end walls composed of a. upper walls substantially normal to saidbottom wall, b. a small intermediate portion joined at one end to saidupper wall having a height equal to a substantial fraction of the heightof said upper part and inclined inwardly from said upper wall at aslight tapering angle, and c. lower walls joined to the other end ofsaid intermediate portion having a height substantially equal to theheight of said upper walls and tapering slightly inwardly and joined tosaid bottom wall,
 2. a first supporting flange mounted to and projectingoutwardly from the upper end of said upper walls,
 3. a second supportingflange mounted to and projecting outwardly from the lower end of saidintermediate portion and the upper edge of said lower wall, and 4.retractable rotating supporting means mounted to said upper wallscomprising a. a pair of supporting rods each having a central portionsupported, in the operative position of the rods, by opposed slots inthe top edges of said first pair of said side walls, with the legportions of said rods hingedly mounted to the outer surfaces of saidwalls, to allow rotation of said rods from said supporting operativeposition bridging the open space of said unit to an inoperative positionexterior of said space in juxtaposition to the outer surfaces of saidsecond pair of side walls,
 5. whereby a first case when stacked upon asecond similar case having its supporting rods in the operative positionhas its bottom wall resting upon the supporting rods of said secondcase, and when said supporting rods of said second case are rotated tosaid retracted position, said first case is partially nested in saidsecond case with its second flange resting upon and supported by thefirst flange of said second case.
 2. a first supporting flange mountedto and projecting outwardly from the upper end of said upper walls,
 2. Aplastic case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped supportingrods engage the adjoining first side walls of said unit.
 3. A plasticcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped supporting rods engagebores in the adjoining first side walls of said unit, and the centralportions of said rods are formed with U-shaped extensions, the upperedges of said second side walls of said unit have pairs of additionalslots in the upper surface of said case, adapted to permit said centralportions of said rods to overlap similar rods and engage in similarslots of a second case when said cases are juxtaposed alongside eachother to join said cases together.
 3. a second supporting flange mountedto and projecting outwardly from the lower end of said intermediateportion and the upper edge of said lower wall, and
 4. retractablerotating supporting means mounted to said upper walls comprising a. apair of supporting rods each having a central portion supported, in theoperative position of the rods, by opposed slots in the top edges ofsaid first pair of said side walls, with the leg portions of said rodshingedly mounted to the outer surfaces of said walls, to allow rotationof said rods from said supporting operative position bridging the openspace of said unit to an inoperative position exterior of said space injuxtaposition to the outer surfaces of said second pair of side walls,4. A plastic case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate parthas a height of from 10- 15 percent of the height of said upper part andsaid intermediate and lower part have tapering angles of from 10*-15*.5. whereby a first case when stacked upon a second similar case havingits supporting rods in the operative position has its bottom wallresting upon the supporting rods of said second case, and when saidsupporting rods of said second case are rotated to said retractedposition, said first case is partially nested in said second case withits second flange resting upon and supported by the first flange of saidsecond case.